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about 1 month ago: NEWARK NJ - JULY 20: Ilya Kovalchuk of the New Jersey Devils speaks with the media after announcing his contract renewal at the Prudential Center on July 20 2010 in Newark New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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The big news this morning in the hockey world is that instead of closing the Ilya Kovalchuk drama yesterday afternoon, the NHL and NHLPA continue to negotiate over the structure of long-term contracts. A report out of New York indicates that the league is taking a very aggressive stance, offering to allow the proposed contract to stand in exchange for an adjustment to the CBA involving future deals.

After the jump, we've also got a bold statement from Chet Pickard about trying to earn an NHL job this season, further assurance that Cody Franson will probably get a new contract soon, and a poll on the most over-hyped story of the summer...

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The Nashville Predators made another move to bolster their organizational defensive depth, trading prospect Ian McKenzie to Atlanta for defenseman Grant Lewis.

Grant Lewis

 Defenseman

Height: 6-3

Weight: 190

Born: Jan 20, 1985

Follow after the jump for analysis, and the press release from the Preds:

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Finally, at long last, you've made it to September, hockey fans. In just two weeks, Nashville Predators rookies will be working out in training camp, with veterans reporting on September 17th. Keep coming back on a daily basis for our series of previews which outline each individual player's situation heading into the new season, and the battles for roster spots which appear to get more competitive by the day (particularly in light of the Aaron Johnson signing yesterday).

If you're dying to know when we'll get to see some game action, we've got the Nashville Predators preseason schedule all laid out for you, too.

Radio Note

As a reminder of his two big fund-raisers coming up next week (a dinner with silent auction, and a golf outing the next day), Brent Peterson joined the Thom Abraham Show yesterday to talk about PetersonForParkinsons.org:

Brent Peterson on Thom Abraham Show 20100831 (MP3)

And now, on to your morning hockey news...

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More photos » John Ulan - AP

Hopefully this isn't one of those "cry on my shoulder moments." They had a lot of those in Edmonton last season.

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The Nashville Predators announced today that they've signed Aaron Johnson to bolster their defensive depth. Having already played for five NHL franchises during six seasons, I think we can comfortably apply the "journeyman" label here.

Aaron Johnson

Defenseman

Height: 6-1

Weight: 208

Born: Apr 30, 1983

Follow after the jump for a scouting report, analysis from an Edmonton blogger and the Predators' press release...

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Change has got to the theme of this morning's hockey news. We've got a look at how the Nashville goaltending situation should develop over the coming seasons, questions about the defensive depth with Dan Hamhuis no longer in the fold, and a new buyer stepping onto the scene in Phoenix, looking to purchase the Coyotes.

All this, and Terry Crisp talking about a return to coaching...

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You can really start counting down the days, Preds fans - rookies report to training camp in just two weeks!

This morning we'll get your week started off with a healthy dose of hockey news. We've got a big fundraiser organized by Predators associate coach Brent Peterson, David Poile's reaction to all the experiments that were run up in Toronto last week, and it sounds like the end might finally be near for the Ilya Kovalchuk saga...

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Jim McIsaac - Getty Images

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It's been a busy, busy week here at OtF, with Patric Hornqvist finally signed and a new Milwaukee Admirals writer on board. Just think, in a few days we get to flip the calendar over to September, which means training camp is right around the corner!

After the jump, we've got a look at yesterday's explosion of chatter around NHL media access for bloggers, a former Predators star who is still mentally drained from last season, and the Oakes boys hit Venice Beach...

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We'll have a special announcement later today on OtF, so be sure to swing by this afternoon and check that out, but until then, we've still got your morning hockey news.

After the jump we have reaction to Nashville getting mostly left out of the NHL's national TV schedule, more squabbling from the World Hockey Summit, and the long-awaited news that the NHLPA is taking on a notorious new leader...

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